REZET hails from Scheswig, Germany.  The band formed in 2004 and after a copious number of demos released along the way, they debuted their first full-length in 2010 with "Have Gun, Will Travel".  This new release, "Deal with It," is their fourth full-length.  The band play a custom brand of Thrash that easily could have arisen during the original first wave due to the amount of classic Metal tropes used throughout alongside aggression.  At times, the band can be quite melodic and to imagine a few of these songs on the radio is really not a stretch at all.

"Behind Glass" opens the album with an exquisitely composed and performed, classically-inspired guitar piece.  Someone definitely did their Randy Rhoads homework!  It flows elegantly along with a minor key-induced somber feel.  Also, it is a prelude to the classic Metal guitar performance during the entirety of this record.  In the third position is the title track which opens ferociously spitting venom with a large dependence on syncopation to convey the aggro-stance chosen for this tune.  With Ricky Wagner's vocals, the music is lifted to another level as he injects a certain level of musicality to all his parts including the fiercest moments.  When the guitars break for a solo, the diversity employed behind their choice of notes is clearly audible as they use multiple approaches including various scales and modes to achieve solos that employ the standard purpose of the medium, an exposition of infectious alternate melodies.  When viewed from this angle, it is easy to see how the guitar wholeheartedly inherited and embraced the role of the violin in Classical compositions.  With a title like "Deal With It," though, I cannot help but hypothesize the band lending an ode to classic D.R.I.

"Thunder Raiders," the fifth track, begins with a medium-paced Thrash groove.  It is the subtle use of triplets underneath the straight-forward, down-picked riff that really spices things up.  It is hard not to get pulled in to the music as influences from TESTAMENT to SANCTUARY to ACCEPT and many, many more can be heard throughout.  Clearly, anyone who has jumped on the POWER TRIP wagon will dig this as well.  The sixth track, "Alone," besides sharing titles with one of their songs, reminds one of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES - particularly the title track to "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today".  On this "power ballad" (for lack of a better term), the skills of melody and harmony can be heard in both the instruments and the vocals.  Wagner's vocals give the impression of classic Sebastian Bach with a hint of Whitfield Crane on the more accessible tracks such as this.

The feeling one gets while diving deeper into this album is similar to that received from listening to heavier bands just before, and during, the Grunge explosion.  There is an air of experimentation occurring where shredding is juxtaposed with super-chunky riffs and actual catchy hooks that pull outsiders to the genre in that may not normally be into something like VOIVOD but are open to bands that toe the line between the radio and underground.  Think WRATHCHILD AMERICA - probably the best comparison I can come up with.  Eighth track, "Mdpv," incorporates classic Thrash riffs that are put up against catchy choruses and gang-style vocals.  REZET could be thought of as a gateway drug - something to play for your new preppy girlfriend that knows nothing of Metal before introducing her to SLAYER and MORBID ANGEL.

This accessibility, however, does not alienate true metal heads.  In fact, it is incredibly impressive to hear how the genre can be crafted into such a refined model.  Tenth track, "Spiral Down," is especially for the die-hards with its intense double bass, precise riffing, and challenging solos.  In fact, the solos are some of the most entertaining aspects of this band as alluded to earlier.  Sing-ability and chops are blended to make a resounding statement for both the virgin and the trained/veteran ear.  Perhaps that is the best way to describe REZET.  They employ musical devices to keep the initiated long interested and hooks to acquire newborn ears.  The end result is an album that is pleasing on many different levels.  This is truly top-shelf Heavy Metal!